MMPI performance related to length of service for public safety employees
Abstract
Public safety employees such as police and firefighters face unique job experiences and stressors. Previous research and theoretical literature has suggested certain characteristics of police officers may develop over time as a response to experiences on the force. Firefighter applicants are a very similar group psychologically to police applicants, but job experiences differ. MMPI performance at employment screening and at various lengths of service in the department was compared cross-sectionally and longitudinally for urban police and firefighter samples including both black and white male subjects. In terms of overall profile elevation and classification of code-type, the majority of profiles were "Normal", across career length. Some support for hypothesized "police personality" changes was found using multiple regression analysis of content specific scales and subscales. However, the magnitude of these effects was typically quite small for scales where a relationship to career length was found. Interestingly, these differences were found for the firefighter as well as the police group, for the white male sample. Few significant effects were found for the black male sample, possibly due to much smaller sample size.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Gruen, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Psychotherapy
Off-Campus Purdue Users:
To access this dissertation, please log in to our
proxy server.